Interesting that the reaction depends on your perspective. Check out the minny fan boards - they are just as upset as the oiler boards seem to be. Maybe that means it is a good deal - both sides walk away thinking the other team got the best of it.

I think the Oilers lose this trade based on the on-ice aspect of it. Though the more I read about Schultz the more I see a veteran leader personality. I don't think Gilbert has that so much, so maybe it will be good for team chemistry or something.

I was glad that the Oilers at least got another body coming back instead of the player for prospects thing I was dreading.

lol how is this deal bad? people were on Gilbert for ages, now that he is gone and there is sudden change , people get concerned! its hilarous. We got Klefbom coming up soon, potter petry and whitney all being similar D, Gilbert was expendable. I think when you got young stay at home guys like Teubert coming you need more reliability with those stay at home D guys above the offensive D's, so this trade just gives the oilers stability.

I don't think Tambo understands this whole trade to make your team better concept. That trade shouldn't have had Gilbert in it. It should have been peckham and a prospect and/or picks for Schultz. I don't view this as helping the defense at all its just a trade off of offense from your backend for a more physical player. And this was Gilberts breakout year, stupid move I just don't get it. Gilbert is worth more there should have been a pick involved at least. Tambo is useless.

And what the hell is with TSN have they ever heard of buffering because their streaming is complete sh*t. I can't stream their show more than 30 secs at a time and then it cuts out for 45secs. Yet I can go and stream a full HD movie no problem.

Call me if he ADDED a defenceman or goalie. Gilbert has been bar none the best D-man on the squad this year. A lttle grit is good but I thinknwe lost this one. Unless the D on the farm are good enough to replace pretty boy's puck moving (I say no) I think this is more change for the sake of change.

I would have offered Minny Peckham + Chorney/Plante + 4th rounder maybe a littel more. The only way I would have moved Gilbert is for a much better Defenseman even if you did have to add more than just Gilbert, this just doesn't make the team any better.

Seems like a trade based on perceived need in terms of playing styles. I suppose the development of Petry, the (slight) return to form by Whitney, and the oncoming prospects (Marincin, Musil, Davidson, Gernat, etc.) made Gilbert expendable. I know the stats guys don't like Schultz, but he's a "Jason Smith"-type and the Oilers could always use another guy like that. I don't hate the trade exactly and I like what Schultz brings to the table, but Gilbert's a talented player who was rounding into form. I'm sorry we're going to miss it.

This trade is confusing. It addresses a hole (sort of) on the D while more or less opening up another (kinda). Like Lochenzo up there said, they better be planning on deferring Gilbert's role to Petry, because now we're out our best "offensive" D-man. The Oilers site has Gilbert and Petry tied at 17 points this year, which could be a good omen. I think Petry has more natural talent and ability than Gilbert, he's just gotta finish rounding his game out, a-la Smid.

Petry has been playing 20+ minutes a night for a little while now, maybe management already sees him as a viable top 4?

Don't know much about Schultz, but I have seen several comments re: his slow skating. Overpaying for another slow d-man from Minnesota over the summer worked out so well thus far that Tambi could not resist going back for another.

Good trade. Gilbert's not a fierce competitor. He is a good top 4 defenceman but you watch his interviews and you see a lack of compete. Watch Whitney or hall post game and compare that to Gilbert. If you look across the dressing room floor you gotta be able to look at a guys eyes and see that he is giving it his all. My gut feeling- no facts to base this on.

Re: All the comparisons to Jason Smith - he ended up being too slow to play post-lockout. That is what worries me the most. If Schultz has skating issues then he is too small to make a difference. Add in the fact that I have seen a lot of comments that he is a #5 d-man for the wild, and it does not make sense unless he somehow becomes a much better player over the next few months.

I couldn't agree more, how does this move make the Oilers better? I see this as a lateral move, no better, no worse. If the Oilers could have kept Gilbert and added Shultz then it would have been a win.

I'd agree lateral for sure, but i think its easier for a skilled D to come into the mix than a defensive minded young guy like Teubert to consistently be good on a night by night basis, so in getting Schultz you get stability. Klefbom is coming up soon and you hope Potter and Petry can fill the type of game Gilbert brought. But i agree with you its more lateral for now.

Tough call to say who wins. The funny thing is Oiler fans are all against Gilbert then he is traded and we complain but if we kept him I would guarantee people would be on here next year saying we should have traded Gilbert while is value was high.

I don't think it hurts us or makes us much better. But from comments of teammates in Minny sounds like Shultz is a heart and soul guy.

I think Tambo could have gotten more for Gilbert. I'll be the first to say I have not been a fan of Gilbert for many years but this season it seems like he grew a pair and figured out what it takes be be a real good defenseman. There should have been a 3rd or 4th round pick coming back in this deal or package Gilbert with a pick/prospect for a better d-man.

The front of the Oiler net just got a little less comfortable........and that is not a bad thing

Good thing because they are going to be playing infront of it more often now seeing how Gilbert was the best puck mover this season and Peckham, Barker, and Smid can't move the puck out of the zone without icing it.

I'm still angry about this trade. At the very least, we should have had a prospect coming our way. #FireTambo

Gilbert is not a top 2 D on any other NHL team, maybe 3 or 4 on some teams, what more do you expect to get? We arguably just got a legitimate top 4 D thats CONSISTENT, unlike a lot of players on this team.

Plus if Smid ever got hurt, we would be SCREWED. At least Schultz gives a Smid-like stability back there, Gilbert injury really opened the door for Petry. Next year we won't even be talking about this trade anymore cause it'll pay dividends long term.

Plus if Smid ever got hurt, we would be SCREWED. At least Schultz gives a Smid-like stability back there, Gilbert injury really opened the door for Petry. Next year we won't even be talking about this trade anymore cause it'll pay dividends long term.

Dude the last three seasons will have gone 30th, 30th, 29th place. We have been screwed for years.

Plus if Smid ever got hurt, we would be SCREWED. At least Schultz gives a Smid-like stability back there, Gilbert injury really opened the door for Petry. Next year we won't even be talking about this trade anymore cause it'll pay dividends long term.

Schultz has been a consistently negative player on one of the better if not top defensive teams in the league. At least Gilbert had an excuse as he is more about the offense and has played on the worst team in the league for the last 5 years.

Gilbert is not a top 2 D on any other NHL team, maybe 3 or 4 on some teams, what more do you expect to get? We arguably just got a legitimate top 4 D thats CONSISTENT, unlike a lot of players on this team.

Umm......from what I have read, Schultz is the #5 d-man for the Wild this season. Sounds like we landed another 5/6/7 d-man than another top 4.

Schultz is a "Shut Down" defensive Defenceman.. Gilbert, im not even sure what u would call him. cuz for an "offensive" minded defenceman he only had 17 points in 49 games.. and correct me if im wrong but isnt Schultz about a Million dollars cheaper?

Hemsky: cmon please sign me ill take anything
Tambo: 5 mil for two (he'll never take it and we can trade him for picks that wont turn out)
Hemsky: ok i want be oiler
Tambo:what!!!!
*fans applaud move
Tambo: well now what i gotta do sumthin.
*enter minesota
Min- we want gilbert, well give u shultz
Tambo: well we need defense, shultz is way better right
Min- well actually they're about even except shultz doesn't have any offense
Tambo: ill do it(thank god i was starting to get a good rep)

I do think that this is a lateral move by the team by trading an offensive-minded defenceman for a stay at home type. I would think that it would be easier to find, develop, draft, trade or sign a defensive defenceman over the summer than an offensive defenceman.